Endless Masquerading
by Lapiz Lazuli Luna
Summary: Everything changed after the Jellicle Ball. Jemima knew she was different, bestowed with a unique power that she has only begun to understand. But when she begins to hear voices in her head that are not her own, she uncovers a shocking secret that could threaten the entire Tribe.
1. Prologue

_AN: Hello readers! Here's what you can expect from my FIRST EVER Cats fic! Misto x Jemima, Plato x Victoria, Munkunstrap x Demeter, Mungojerrie x Rumpleteazer (not siblings, mates!) Also, moments of dark, creepy supernatural things, moments of what-the-heck-is-going-on that will become clearer in future chapters, and moments of unrepentant kitten fluff! :)_

_Enjoy! I love reviews and I love Cats! _

_Disclaimer: Cats is the sole property of Andrew Lloyd Weber. This fic is written by a fan and is written purely for entertainment purposes._

_Last Revised: 11/26/12_

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**Prologue**

"_Up, up, up past the Jellicle Moon … Up, up, up, up to the Heavyside Layer …_"

With a mighty crash, the sky split open and a flood of light spilled out over the Junkyard. The clouds unfurled, tumbling down from the heavens and sweeping across the Earth below. The Jellicles let out a collective gasp as the staircase descended from the sky like a silver chariot. This was the moment they had awaited all night long and the air around them pulsed with unbridled anticipation.

The young tuxedo tom felt a nudge at his shoulder and turned to meet the smiling face of his sister, Victoria. Her bright blue eyes shone with wonder as he embraced her fondly. When he turned his gaze toward heaven once more and guided his sister in lifting up their paws toward the starlit night, the tom felt as if his heart were near to bursting inside his chest. All of his conjuring powers were nothing compared to this. This, right here, was a miracle in the highest sense of the word, and the excitement surged through him with an electric fervor.

As Victoria broke apart from him – to seek out her new mate, no doubt – the tom turned and glimpsed a small shape of red and black to his right. He smiled in recognition. It could only be one queen. The one who had opened their eyes to this miracle and brought them all here to this moment.

The tom turned to greet her only to freeze in horror, the blood draining from his face in the place of dread. For the young queen was not smiling and dancing as those around her.

She was standing as still as a statue with her arms at her side, her expression blank and her wide brown eyes turned heavenward as tears slipped quietly down her cheeks.

"Jemima!" The young tom rushed to her side, panic exploding through his mind. He placed his hands on her shoulders, shook her gently. "Jem! Can you hear me? What is it? What's wrong?"

The young queen blinked once, her clouded vision clearing. Her expression was perplexed as she turned to face her friend.

"Oh … nothing's wrong, Quaxo," she whispered breathlessly. "It's just … it's just …"

She smiled as another tear slipped out.

"It's just so beautiful."

For a moment, the tom could do nothing but just blink at her, stare at her, as her words ever slowly sank into his consciousness. And then a rush of relief swept through his chest and he let out a small laugh. "Yes … yes, it is, Jem."

The two shared a smile. A sweet and simple smile. Their eyes told each other more than their words ever could. And as they turned from each other to watch the Chosen One ascend toward the Heavyside Layer, the young tom reached over quietly to take the queen's paw in his.

And so they stood together, their fingers intertwined, joining in with the chorus of voices that rose up toward the heavens. And as the Chosen One vanished into the clouds and the silver staircase returned to its place in the sky, the two young cats never once broke apart.


	2. Chapter 1

_Last revised: 3/17/13_

**Chapter One**

"_And that's how you address a caaaaaaaaaat!"_

The Jellicles raised their arms and let out a whooping cheer. The Jellicle Ball had finally come to an end. Across the Junkyard, cats exchanged high-fives and threw themselves into each other's arms. Some laughed, others cried tears of joy. It had been a night that no cat would ever forget.

Quaxo stumbled backwards as his sister flung her arms about his neck. He laughed, spinning her around once before releasing her to say goodbye to her friends. And then the instant she was gone the tom was swarmed by a mob of older cats. Some congratulated him for his amazing magical debut and many more thanked him profusely for bringing Old Deuteronomy back to them.

Quaxo squirmed uncomfortably as he recalled his earlier performance. He never showed it, but at the time he had been nervous out of his wits. He never planned on putting on this big magical extravaganza in front of everyone, let alone "save the day." Sheesh, he'd almost wanted to strangle Rum Tum Tugger for putting him out like that. _Bast, what would have happened if that trick DIDN'T work!_

But it did. Oh, thank goodness, it did. By some great divine providence, his magic had brought their beloved leader back to them. The realization filled him with an overwhelming mixture of pride and gratitude.

Once Jennyanydots had released him from her tear-soaked stranglehold, the tuxedo tom glanced up at the Great Tire. The wise old patriarch who sat there nodded to him once, his eyes glowing with appreciation.

_Gee … maybe I am pretty good at this whole magic thing after all._

"Quaxo!"

The tom's heart skipped a beat at the sound of that bright, sweet voice. He turned around and his breath caught upon sight of the calico queen to whom it belonged. Two lovely brown eyes met his and the queen froze in her tracks, her smile faltering. She blinked and then lowered her eyelids as if suddenly shy.

Quaxo swallowed hard. _Bast, why am I so nervous? It's just Jem._ The queen crept closer and he glanced down to see she was carrying something in her paws. It looked like some sparkly golden bucket or pail of some kind. His eyes widened, confused, as she reached forward as if to offer it to him.

"Um … here," she said, smiling bashfully. "I, uh, forgot to give this back to you earlier."

"Huh?" He blinked down at the strange pail. "Um, uh, thanks, um … what _is _that?"

The queen frowned. "It's the rainbow bucket, Quaxo." Blink. "Remember? From the magic show?"

"The … the rainbow bucket … the rainbow … oh. Oh!"

The realization clicked in his brain. _Oh, yeah! That's the bucket I pulled the rainbow scarf out from. And then ... I gave it to Jem._

Quaxo cleared his throat and gently pushed the bucket back toward her. "Oh, nah, Jem. That was a gift. I-I want you to keep it."

"What?" Jemima's eyes widened. _Bast, she's so cute._ "No, Quaxo. I can't take it. You need this for your show, don't you?"

"Oh, well …" Quaxo rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I, uh, I could always get another one. And besides …" He puffed out his chest and put on his patented magician's smile. "Just consider it your own personal souvenir from the great Magical Mister Mistoffelees show!" With a wink and a flourish, he reached in and pulled out a small scarf of glittering blue. "And there might still be some magic in here left."

Jemima gasped, pink flooding her cheeks. "Wow, uh, that was … wow. Okay Quaxo, I-I'll keep it."

The tom chuckled, feeling his false bravado quickly fading back into awkward nerves. Quaxo Mistoffelees was a born performer, but once the show was over, he was always just Quaxo. Especially around his friends.

Especially around Jemima.

"Well, uh …" he stammered. "I guess you'll have to take the scarf along with it." He cleared his throat. "Would you mind if I, uh … tried to put it on you?"

Jemima blinked in surprise. "Oh." Heat flooded her cheeks. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead."

"Uh, okay!" Quaxo let out an uneasy chuckle as he reached forward. "Let's, uh, see how this looks on you."

Jemima could do nothing but stare at the ground as she felt him reach around and wrap the scarf about her neck. _Bast, this is so embarrassing. He _has _to see me blushing. _His paw accidentally brushed her fur and more heat burst across her cheeks. _No, no, stop it!_

_Paws, stop SHAKING!_ Quaxo thought desperately, trying to ignore that shot of electricity he felt when his fingers swept through her silky fur. _Calm down! It's just Jem! You've known her forever. Calm down!_

Quaxo let out a long breath as he finally stepped back, letting his eyes gaze over the tenderly adorned young queen. Two questioning eyes blinked up at him. "How … how does it look?"

"It …" He gulped. "It's pretty. You ... _y__ou're_ pretty, Jem."

_Bast, if I blush anymore I swear my cheeks are going to explode! _Lifting her head, Jemima let the warmth stretch her lips into a smile. "Thank you so much, Quaxo."

They stared at each other for the longest moment, each too nervous to say anything else. _Bast, I don't get it,_ Quaxo thought. _Why am I all antsy like this? _Just a few minutes ago, he had been so caught up in the moment that he had slipped his paw around Jemima's without a single thought. To his dismay, his paw began to shake even harder at the memory of how soft and right her paw had felt in his. _Get a grip, Quaxo! Pull yourself together!_

"Um …"

The tom blinked as Jemima quietly broke the silence. She smiled at him again. Such a beautiful smile.

"You were amazing today, Quaxo," she breathed. "Your magic was just … wow."

"Oh, uh …" Quaxo shifted from one foot to the other. "Y-you were amazing too, Jem. I mean, your voice was … _incredible_."

He meant it. He meant it with all his heart. Her voice had taken his breath away the moment she opened her mouth to sing for the first time. He thought he had never heard anything more heavenly in his life. It was so sweet, so clear, so pure ... like a river of silk and moonlight.

And ... he'd always thought Jem was pretty, you'd have to be blind not to see that she was. But in that moment as she sang with her face all aglow in the light of the moon and her eyes gleaming in the rapture of her song … she'd looked absolutely exquisite.

She _still _does.

Jemima ducked her head. "Thank you, Quaxo. I … to be honest, I wasn't really expecting to sing at all. I really didn't know what I was doing."

"Oh, well …" Quaxo smiled. "That makes two of us. I didn't really know what I was doing either."

The two just stared at each other for a moment. Then Quaxo cracked a smile. Then Jemima. And then the grins spread across the both of their faces and they burst out laughing together like the good friends they were.

Then Quaxo glimpsed a blur of red and snowy white out the corner of his eye. He followed it and spotted his sister and Plato, strolling out of the Junkyard arm in arm with Victoria resting her head on Plato's shoulder and Plato nuzzling her head fur lovingly.

_Oh …_

"Um ..." Quaxo cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Jem. I, uh, need to have a quick word with Plato before he takes my sister off to who-knows-where."

Jemima followed his gaze. "Oh!" Then she turned back to him and put a paw on her hip. "Oh, come on, Quaxo. Don't be so overprotective. You know those two were made for each other."

Quaxo raised his paws. "I know! I know! I just … want to have a few words with them, that's all."

Jemima giggled and nudged his shoulder playfully. "Okay, well …" She smiled at him warmly. "Good night, Quaxo."

He smiled back, his eyes so tender it sent her heart singing. "Good night, Jem."

And then he was gone.

"Jemima!"

Startled, the young calico queen turned at the sound of her father's voice. Munkustrap beckoned to her, gesturing toward the Great Tire. "Your grandfather will be leaving now and he wants to say goodbye to you."

"Oh!" Jemima quickly set the bucket down and in three strides she'd bounded up the Tire and thrown herself into Old Deuteronomy's waiting arms. "Oh, Grandfather!" she cried, snuggling into his thick fur. "Grandfather, I'll miss you. I'll miss you so much!"

The Jellicle leader's stomach shook as he chuckled fondly and wrapped his arms tighter around his beloved granddaughter. "I'll miss you too, dearest Jemima."

The queen buried her face in his fur, desperate for him not to see her tears, hoping that he couldn't feel her trembling. She had been so terrified when she thought she had lost him, that Macavity had stolen him away forever. After a moment she collected herself and lifted up her eyes to meet his. "You will not stay away for too long, will you, Grandfather?"

Old Deuteronomy stroked her cheek lovingly. "I will try not to, dear one. But there are other things I must attend to in other places, please understand that. However, I promise that I will return to you as soon as I can."

The young queen sniffled and gave him a watery smile. "Alright, Grandfather."

With that, the Jellicle leader brought her into his arms for one final embrace. When he released her, he raised her chin to look at him. His eyes were just as serious as they were gentle.

"Jemima …" he said. "You are no ordinary kitten. You have been bestowed with a very special gift. Take care to use it well and to never let anyone rob you of your loving heart. That is what will ensure your gift shall always be used for good. Remember that, Jemima."

The queen nodded slowly. "Yes … yes, I will, Grandfather."

And with that the Jellicle leader smiled and released her to return to her father. He was waiting at the bottom of the Tire with her mother, Demeter, at his side and her abandoned bucket in his paws.

"Son," Old Deuteronomy said. "Take care."

Munkustrap nodded. "I will, Father."

Old Deuteronomy smiled and gave one last wave over the Junkyard. And then he turned and he was gone.

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"Bast, what a night," Tantomile sighed as she spread the discarded newspaper over her body like a blanket.

"Yeah, I'm exhausted," her twin brother said as he scooched in beside her. "Dawn's coming. Might as well get some sleep while we can."

"Hey." Tantomile groaned, kicking at her twin in a less than gentle fashion. "Move over a bit, I need a little leg room."

Coricopat rolled his eyes and scooched over a few inches. "Better?"

"Much."

"Good night, Sis."

"Good night, Bro."

They lay there quietly for a few long moments, the silence only broken by the crickets chirping in the distance.

"Coricopat?"

"Hm?"

"Earlier … during the Moments of Happiness. When we were transmitting Old Deuteronomy's thoughts to Jemima. You … you felt that, didn't you?"

The male twin was silent for a moment. "Felt what, Tantomile?"

"You know what. That … that darkness. That shadow."

"There was no darkness in Jemima. She has as pure a heart as I've ever felt in a cat."

"I know _that_, brother. But that darkness wasn't Jemima. And yet … it was. In her, but not … of her. Like a second presence."

"Tantomile … I don't think it's anything to worry about. It felt so small, so faint, it was hardly even noticeable."

"But it was _there_, Coricopat. It was there and it was real. And I don't know what it means but … but it worries me."

"Sis …" Her twin turned to look at her. "There's no point in worrying about it for now. If you want, we can maybe try to check Jemima over again in the morning."

"Yeah." Tantomile nodded. "Yeah, I … I guess you're right."

"Go to sleep, Sis. We'll talk about this more later."

"Yeah … yeah, okay …"

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Munkustrap and his family slept beneath the porch of their family's home. Jemima had her own little corner to call her own, and her parents had theirs on the other end of the underporch.

From her vantage point, Jemima watched as her parents nuzzled each other, each still seeking comfort over what they endured just an hour before. Her mother tenderly bathed her mate's wounds, still fussing and begging him to let her know if he's hurt anywhere else. In response, her father purred as he stroked his mate's fur and whispered loving words into her ear.

Then at last they broke apart and crossed over to the other side of their home to tuck their beloved daughter to sleep. Jemima purred contently as her parents embraced her one by one. Her father came first, mussing up her head fur affectionately, and then her mother, kissing her tenderly upon the cheek.

"I'm so proud of you, Jem," her mother whispered. "So, so proud of you."

Jemima smiled and snuggled into her mother's embrace. "Thanks, Mom."

Her mother frowned as she ran a paw over the glittering scarf Jemima still had wrapped around her neck. "This is really nice. Where did you get this, Jem?"

"Oh. Uh …" Jemima stared down at her paws. "Quaxo gave it to me."

She could practically hear her father's eyebrows shoot to the top of his forehead. "_Quaxo_? _Quaxo_ gave you that scarf?"

"Um, yeah, you know. For, uh, helping him out with his magic show." And with that she quickly buried her face into her bed of leaves. "Okay, I'm tired, good night!"

Her parents were silent for a good long while. And then she heard them chuckle in unison.

"Good night, Jem," they sang, and she sighed in relief as she heard them pad over to their side of the underporch and lay down to sleep together.

The first shafts of morning light begin to creep through the cracks in the floor above. As she gently drifted off to sleep, Jemima wasn't too surprised that her dreams were of Quaxo.

That is … until the nightmares began …

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_"MACAVITY!"_

_Screams of terror erupted around the Junkyard as she and the other kittens scurried away to safety. With her limbs quaking violently, she climbed up to the top of one of the piles and took shelter inside a small cardboard box. After a few moments, she tentatively peeked out over the chaos below and__ gasped at the sight of the evil Mystery Cat that she had only ever heard about in stories. He was even more hideous than she ever imagined._

_And then her heart dropped to her stomach when she saw him grab her mother by the arms and drag her screaming, flailing, across the floor._

"_MOMMY!" she screamed. "MOMMY! MOMMY!"_

_The Mystery Cat's head shot up and his eyes met hers._

_Shock screamed through her like a bolt of lightning, her whole world sucked into the dark vortex of his eyes. Colors and shadows swirled together. From somewhere far away, someone was screaming her name._

_She hadn't realized then that she had blacked out …_

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_"Playground school bell rings … again …" _

_What …?_

_A voice echoed through her ears. A dark and haunting melody. Then it was gone as quickly as it came, like a fog upon the wind._

_She looked around. The scene had changed. But everything looked so hazy. So shadowy and indistinct. Through her blurred vision, she could make scarcely out four silver walls and piles of boxes._

_Somewhere in the distance a bell was chiming. Ding ... ding ... ding ... __The sound of footsteps drew her attention. She glanced to the right … what was that? A shadow? The shape of a cat ... It ... it's moving! _

_Is someone there? Hello?_

_She followed after the shadow and her whole world spun into black …_

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"_Rainclouds come to play … again …"_

_That voice. Where does it come from? It sounded almost like her own voice except … it wasn't. _

_And then an agonized scream suddenly ripped through her ears and s__he gasped and covered her ears in shock. _

_The screams went on and on, raggd with pain and terror. And then with a gasp she recognized the voice to whom those screams belonged._

_The blood drained from her face. __NO._

_Not her._

_No … no … stop, PLEASE!_

_She wanted to scream too. She wanted to cry and run away. But she couldn't. There was nothing she could do but hide. She fought back tears and buried her face into … something. Something warm and furry. _Someone.

_Who is it? Who's there?_

_The scene changed again …_

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"_Has no one told you she's not breathing …"_

_What …_

_Sunlight burned through her bleary eyes.__ There were two walls around her and a missing wall opening up to the sky. __The wooden floor shook beneath her, juddering her body ..._

_And there was the screaming again._

_She gasped and covered her face with her paws.__ It felt as if her heart was ripping in two. She was sobbing her eyes out, and she didn't know why. Why? ... _

_Because it was her fault. It was all her fault …_

_Wait ... what was? What is going …?_

_A comforting shadow fell over her. Her eyes cracked open, and through her tears she made out a loving, familiar face. Choking back another sob, she leaped forward to throw herself into the figure's waiting arms. The two arms wrapped around her, pulling her close ..._

_And then the scene shattered …_

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"_Hello … I'm your mind … giving you someone to talk to …"_

_The blackness spun about her in a terrible whirlpool. __Ghastly images assaulted her, going on and on in an incoherent blur.__There were flashes of darkness and flashes of light. There were snarling faces that were gone before she could make them out. And then were shrieking shadows and hideous shapes, clawing at her from all sides as she pleaded for mercy. _

_And then all the visions melted together and seeped into deep, deep red. Her heart stopped as the redness dripped down to the floor and the rank odor filled her nostrils._

_Blood._

NO!

_S__he cried out and clutched her head. _

_Stop it … stop it … please, stop it, PLEASE!_

_As she spiraled into the darkness, one last word echoed through her ears …_

"_Helloooooooo …"_

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She awoke gasping with her heart hammering in her chest. Her head swung from the right to the left. Where … where …

She was home. She was in her familiar bed under the porch. Closing her eyes, she let out a long breath and sunk to the earth in relief.

The sunlight filtered in through the cracks, caressing her, comforting her. Relishing the warmth, she snuggled into the leaves and tried to fall back asleep.

But even as she drifted away again, the dread still tugged away at the back of her mind.

_What … what _was _that?_

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_AN: Lyrics from _Hello_ by Evanescence _


	3. Chapter 2

_AN: Thank you SO MUCH again to all my reviewers! Each and every one of you made my day and you make it all worth it!_

_I'm so glad you guys are liking things so far. Of course, since I am such a neurotic perfectionist, I went back and polished up quite a bit of the first chapter. Probably won't make too much of a difference to those who read thus far, but if you wanna look back, I think the nightmare scene especially is really cleaned up a whole lot better._

_Oh, and if there are any readers who actually passed physics class and would say a certain element in this chapter is scientifically impossible, I'm sorry. I totally fail in that department. Let's just say it's magic! :D_

_On with the story!_

_Last Revised: 4/25/13_

**Chapter Two**

With a soft yawn, Jemima stretched out her limbs and padded her way out from under the porch. It was mid-afternoon outside and she felt wonderfully refreshed after her nice, long nap. Her mind was in that profoundly dazed yet rested state that can only come from waking out of a deep dream.

Although … for the life of her, she couldn't quite remember what it was.

The calico queen glanced back over the shoulder. Her parents still fast asleep, their bodies curled around each other on the leaf bed. The queen smiled to herself. Those two deserve to rest a little while longer. Turning her face to greet the sun, she set off toward the Junkyard once more.

All across the property Jellicles old and young were lounging about, still exhausted after last night's rigorous festivities. Upon sight of Jemima, several of the older cats smiled and waved at her from their perches high on top of the junk pile. The young queen was a favorite among her many Jellicle aunts.

"Good morning, Jemima!" Jennyanydots called down to her, waving one knitting needle in the air. "Did you get enough sleep, honey?"

Jemima smiled and waved back. "Yes, Aunt Jenny, good morning to you too! I'm looking for Victoria. Is she around?"

"Oh." Her aunt's eyes shifted to the side and she started nudging some of the other giggling queens who were seated around her. "Oh Jemima. She's not here. And I don't expect we'll be seeing her _or_ Plato anytime soon."

At that, the older queens broke out in all-out belly laughs, reveling in their private joke. Jemima frowned at them, confused. _Bast,_ _I hate it when they do this._

"Well, how about Quaxo?" the young queen asked. "Have you seen him around today?"

The queens stopped laughing and looked each other.

"Hmm. I thought I saw him earlier," Jellylorum replied. "But I am not sure where he is now, dear."

"Oh," Jemima said, somewhat disappointed. "Okay then, I guess I'll …"

"Squeeeeeeeeeeeee, Jemima!"

The calico queen barely had time to turn around before she was suddenly tackled to the ground by a squealing blur of white and brown fur. Before she could even catch her breath, the tiny body on top of hers started bouncing up and down on her chest, shrieking with glee.

"Jemima!" Etcetera squealed. "Good morning! How are you? You sounded awesome last night! Really, really awesome! I didn't know you could sing like that! It's so good to see you! Hi!"

"Ergh, Cettie," Jemima laughed as she lifted herself up off the ground. "It's good to see you too. What's up?"

"Ooh! Electra and I are playing tag! But it's no fun with just two kittens." Her eyes grew big. "You wanna play tag with us, Jemima? Do ya? Do ya? Do ya?"

"Um … not right now, Cettie," Jemima replied. "I'm actually looking for Quaxo. Have you seen him?"

The young kitten blinked, tilted her head. "Quaxo? Uh, no, I haven't seen him. Ooh! But we should find him! We should find him so that we can all play tag together! Then we can have four kittens and that would be so much fun. Ooh! Maybe we should also find Pouncival or Tumblebrutus or … AH! Squeeeeeeeeeeee TUGGER!"

And just like that Etcetera shot off toward the flamboyant Maine Coon who had swaggered onto the scene. Upon catching sight of his biggest fan, Tugger grinned and sent a powerful pelvic thrust in her direction. As expected, Etcetera swooned straight to the ground with no conveniently-placed Plato to catch her.

"Hey, Jem!" the Maine Coon called, winking at the watching calico queen. "How you doing, kitten?"

Jemima smiled sweetly. "I'm doing fine, Tugger. How are you, today?"

"Not bad, sweetheart. Not bad. Why don't you come on over here and dance with me, kitten?"

Jemima let out a chuckle as she made her way over to the waiting Maine Coon, her hips swinging playfully as usual. But … to her surprise, the action felt forced. Somehow she felt less enthused about flirting with the infamous Rum Tum Tugger than she had last night.

_Huh … maybe I'm still tired …_

Tugger, however, didn't seem to notice. He gave the pretty little queen a once-over before reaching forward to tickle her under her chin. "You sang pretty sweet last night, kitten. How come you never sang for me like that before?"

But the moment his finger made contact with her skin, Jemima _flinched_, jerking back with a squeak at his touch.

"Oh!" Jemima's eyes widened as she took a step back, a shudder suddenly seizing her body. Based on her expression, she was just as surprised by her reaction as Tugger. "I …" She stammered, shrinking back. "Sorry, um … please don't do that, Tugger."

The Maine Coon frowned at her. "Huh? What's the matter, kitten? Ya turning into a little prude on me or something?"

Jemima's surprise suddenly turned to insult. "No Tugger, I just … don't want you to touch me like that. Please."

Tugger's expression turned more astounded, and inside, Jemima's mind was whirring. _Bast, what's going on? Before last night I wouldn't have thought twice about flirting with him. But now … now …_

Taking a deep breath, Jemima pulled the corners of her mouth up into a half smile. "I was actually looking for Quaxo. Have you seen him around?"

"Quaxo?" Tugger exclaimed. "Oh, so you prefer that tuxedoed conjurer over me now, do ya kitten?"

The question sent a jolt of shock through Jemima's system. "I … I …"

All at once the face of the Maine Coon faded from her vision and the face of the handsome calico tom materialized in its place. Jemima's cheeks grew warm as she recalled Quaxo's performance last night. That ecstatic look in his eyes as he unleashed his magic out of his paws. The way his fur sparkled from head to toe as he spun about an impossible amount of times across the floor. She'd never seen anything like it. She had never seen that side to him before. That dynamism. That passion. That _heart._ His joy was infectious and his magic was breathtaking. It was like seeing him anew for the first time … after having known him for so long.

But Tugger … by the end of the night, she had lost quite a bit of respect for the wild Maine Coon. After seeing the cruel way he treated Grizabella … she hadn't realized it at the time, but it really turned her off to him.

"Sorry Tugger," she continued. "I just really need to talk to Quaxo about something. Do you know where I can find him?"

Tugger just stared at her with an odd expression, and then he pointed. "He's over at the north end of the Junkyard. Practicing."

"Thanks." And without another word, she turned from Tugger and sauntered on her way.

Jemima couldn't believe it. Her she was walking away from the tom she once believed she was madly in love with. And … it felt _good._ She suddenly thought of Quaxo and she quickened her pace, skipping her way toward the north end of the Junkyard.

_Bast … how could so much have changed in a single night?_

XXXXXXXXX

"Oooh, now would you look at that?"

Tugger felt some of the fur on the back of his neck stick up. He wrenched his gaze away from Jemima's retreating figure toward the source of the voice. Sure enough, there was the scarlet queen Bombalurina herself, reclining lazily on top of the old stove.

"Looks like my little niece just outgrew you, Tugger," the queen crooned. "So counting her and Victoria, it looks like your fan club's lost its two prettiest queens in the span of twelve hours."

The Tugger sniffed. "Why don't you go take a powder, _hussy_?"

"I don't need a powder, _Casanova._"

The Main Coon rolled his eyes and turned back toward the direction where Jemima had disappeared. He would never admit it, but he was a just little bit disappointed. He'd always had a soft spot for that pretty little calico kitten. Sure, he never _wanted_ her like that, but there was something sweet and endearing about her. There was a sincerity about her that he always appreciated; he just hadn't realized how much he did until now, when it was gone.

He smiled ruefully. "Ah well. It's about time she grew up, I guess. She's a special queen, that one."

From her perch on the stove, the scarlet queen smiled knowingly.

"Yes. Yes, she most certainly is."

XXXXXXXXX

"Presto!"

With a dramatic spin, the tuxedo tom flung out his paw and aimed a lightning bolt straight at the tuna can on top of the box pile.

That is … he _meant_ to aim a lightning bolt straight at the tuna can on top of the box pile. Instead, it hit the boxes right below it, which promptly burst into flames.

"Oh, SHOOT!" Quaxo cried, quickly grabbing the bucket of water he had set aside in case of an emergency. Throwing his arms forward, he doused out the fire, coughing as the smoke exploded in his face.

_Gah … ugh, okay. Definitely still gotta work on my aim._

"Uh oh …" A syrupy voice purred behind him. "Well, good thing you weren't so sloppy when you were playing tricks with _me_ last night, hm?"

The tuxedo tom bristled. _Bast._ He turned around and there she was – his least favorite Abyssinian queen in the Junkyard, winking at him and licking her paw seductively.

"What do you want, Cassandra?" he grumbled.

"Awwww …" The queen came right up to him and began rubbing her head against his shoulder. "Don't be so cold, Mister Mistoffelees."

Quaxo cleared his throat. "What's wrong, Cass? Ran out of toms you could toy with to try to get my brother to come crawling back to you?"

The queen stiffened, her blue eyes widening as she hissed dangerously under her breath. If there was one button Quaxo knew he could always push with Cassandra, it was her crazy on-again-off-again relationship with Alonzo.

"Hmmm …" she murmured, and Quaxo shuddered as she stroked a paw along his arm. "You can't dislike me all _that _much. After all, you picked _me_ as your assistant last night over that scrawny little kitten who's always nipping at your heels."

Quaxo bit back the urge to scream at her for that jab against Jemima. _Au contraire, Cassandra my dear, I picked you because I could never forgive myself if the trick went wrong and I made Jemima disappear and couldn't get her back. As for you, I couldn't care less if you went 'poof,' gone, and couldn't ever come back. Except for the fact that my brother would totally murder me for it._

"Oh ... uh, Quaxo?"

Cassandra's eyes narrowed into slits. "Well, speak of the devil," she hissed, turning to glare at the perplexed Jemima who had just come around the corner. "Well, well, well," Cassandra sneered, wrapping an arm around a spluttering Quaxo. "Pretty scarf, kitten. Where'd you get _that_?"

"I …" Jemima gulped, stroking the sparkling fabric. "It's a gift, Cassandra." And then, more bravely, she added, "Quaxo gave it to me."

Cassandra's eyebrows rose. "Quaxo?" She turned to face the tuxedo tom. "Well, _I_certainly haven't gotten any gifts for _my_ assistance last night. Unless …" She licked her lips suggestively. "You're thinking of a more _special_ way to thank me later."

_Ugh! SCREW courtesy, _Quaxo thought angrily. "Cassandra, _just leave,_" he snapped. "I can't concentrate on my magic with your cheap perfume stinking up the place."

Cassandra choked at that pointed jab at her vanity. And then, snarling, she spun around and stepped forward to tower over the much smaller calico queen.

"I suppose you think you're all grown up now, getting your own solo at the Ball and all," she hissed. "Well, don't get a swollen head just because you can hit a few pretty high notes, _kitten_. That's nothing compared to the abilities of those of us who have _real_ magic flowing in our veins."

"Cassandra! _Leave her alone!_"

The Abyssinian queen rolled her eyes once and then ambled off, swinging her tail sensuously behind her. Jemima stared at the ground, wringing her paws. _Bast, what was _that _all about? Cassandra has never been that nasty to me before._

"Jemima," Quaxo said, inching closer to his friend. He held out a paw, his expression anxious. "Jemima, I … I wasn't doing anything with Cassandra, okay?"

The queen glanced up at him, and then back down at the ground. "Oh. Okay."

Quaxo grit his teeth, frustrated. "Seriously, Jemima. We weren't doing anything. Stupid Cassandra was just being stupid Cassandra again, trying to make Alonzo jealous, and I was trying so hard to get her to just get her _off my back_…"

"Okay!" Jemima squeaked, holding up her paws. "I believe you, Quaxo. You don't have to try to convince me."

"_Yes_, I …"

Wait. Why did he feel so hard pressed to convince Jemima that he and wasn't fooling around with Cassandra? It's not like he and Jemima are … they're not … she's not …

_Bast, what am I thinking about?_

"So ..." Jemima said, ready to change the subject. "How's practice going, Quaxo?"

"Um …" He glanced toward the charred remains of the boxes. "I'm getting better_._ I think."

Jemima giggled. "Well, it does look like that was smaller fire than the _last_ one."

They both laughed at that, the earlier tensions quickly forgotten. And with that, Quaxo plopped down onto the ground and patted the empty space beside him. Jemima smiled and took her seat.

"So ... how's Victoria, Quaxo?" Jemima asked. "Is she coming back to the Junkyard anytime soon?"

"Oh, um ..." The tuxedo tom looked to the side. "I actually don't know, Jem. I haven't seen Vicky since last night."

Jemima's eyes widened. "She didn't come back to the mansion?"

"No, she didn't. I think she and Plato have decided to go, uh ..." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "_Honeymooning._"

"... Oh."

Quaxo glanced over at his friend, frowning at the sad look on her face. "Jem? You okay?"

The calico queen looked up, blinking, and gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I guess ... it's just a lot to take in. Knowing that Victoria actually has a _mate_ now."

Quaxo let out laugh. "You're telling _me!_ I'm her brother, how do you think _I_ feel about all this?"

Jemima giggled. "Yeah! I can imagine. It's just ..." She paused, trying to find the words. "It's just Victoria's been my best friend for so long and ... now all of a sudden she's an adult with a mate and ..." She let out a sigh, staring down at the ground. "Now she's going to have her own life. She probably won't have much time for _me_ anymore."

"Hey," Quaxo said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Don't feel like that. Sure, things are probably going to be a little different now. But I know Victoria and I know she still loves you and I know she's not the kind of queen to just throw away her friendship with you just because she's found a mate."

Jemima looked up at him and smiled, her eyes glistening. "Yeah ... yeah, you're right. Thank you, Quaxo." And then, after a moment's hesitation, she leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder.

The tuxedo tom stiffened. _Jem?_ The queen merely snuggled closer and he fought against the urge to shiver with pleasure at the feel of her fur against his face.

"Um …" Jemima whispered shyly. "I also forgot to thank you last night."

Quaxo gulped, feeling warm all over. "F-For what? For the scarf? Oh, th-that was nothing."

"No, not the scarf," the queen replied, lifting her head and looked him straight in the eye. "I wanted to thank you … for saving my grandfather. For bringing him back to us. Quaxo, I … I couldn't possibly thank you enough for that."

Jemima swallowed, hesitant, and then her eyes fluttered closed, and Quaxo could scarcely breathe as she leaned forward. He stifled a gasp as he felt her lips press against his cheek. And then, just as quickly, she pulled away.

"Thank you, Quaxo," she stammered breathlessly, pink tinging her cheeks. "Thank you so much."

"Uh …" Quaxo stared down at his paws, feeling the heat explode across his face from where her lips had met his skin. "Y-you're welcome, Jem. I ..." He glanced over at her. "I have to thank you as well."

Jemima blinked, confused. "For what?"

"For what you did for Grizabella. And for all of us. With your song."

"Oh, I-I didn't really do much."

"Yes, Jem. You did," Quaxo insisted. "If it weren't for you, we never would have realized just how blind we all were. It was you who guided us all to the compassion that we failed to give to the one who needed it the most. That … that is a gift beyond measure, Jemima."

For a moment the calico queen just blinked at him as if in shock. And then she lowered her eyes, her lips trembling. "I … thank you, Quaxo. That … that means so much to me."

"Jem, can I ask you something?"

She blinked, looked up on him. "Sure. What?"

"That song … where did it come from? When you were singing it was like the words were coming from somewhere deep in your soul."

Jemima looked down at her paws. "I … I'm not entirely sure. I've never experienced anything like that before. But when Grandfather was singing, I could suddenly feel the words echoing in my heart. I didn't know where they were coming from, and they were so soft and faint that I could scarcely make them out. But then when Cori and Tanto took my paws, the words suddenly became crystal clear. And then the song just … poured out of me, I guess. As if I'd known the song all my life. I … I really don't know how else to explain it."

"No. That … that's beautiful." Quaxo turned and smiled at her. "You have an amazing gift, Jemima."

She smiled back. "Thanks. Although I'm not entirely sure I understand it just yet."

"Hey! You don't have to understand it all right away. Just go with it. You can figure out all the rest later."

Jemima smirked. "Is that your philosophy when it comes to magic, Quaxo?"

"Yep, pretty much."

"No matter how many innocent boxes and tuna cans you happen to massacre along the way."

That quip sent the both of them rolling across the ground laughing.

"Oh!" Quaxo cried, leaping to his feet. "Jem, do you want me to show you my latest trick?"

Jemima lifted an eyebrow. "Uh, sure. Why not?"

"Great! Just sit right there."

Jemima's eyes followed after the tuxedo tom as he darted behind a large pile of junk. When he came around the other side, she broke into a grin. Quaxo was dressed once again in full magician's attire, his tuxedo-fur sparkling from head to toe.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Quaxo declared theatrically. "For the Magical Mister Mistoffelees' next trick, I'm going to need a volunteer from the audience."

Rolling her eyes, Jemima looked to the left and to the right before raising her paw with bogus reluctance.

"Ah, it looks like we have our volunteer, ladies and gentlemen!" Quaxo cried, extending a paw. "And what's your name, pretty lady?"

"… Jemima."

"Welcome Jemima! We're so glad to have you tonight!"

"Quaxo, cut that out. Just get to the magic."

"Ah, this one's eager, I see. Now, for the first part of a trick, I shall pull a magical object straight out of this perfectly ordinary … top hat!"

Of course, this said top hat appeared out of thin air right on top of Quaxo's paw. He proceeded to swing it around to show the imaginary audience that the hat was thoroughly empty. Then, with true dramatic flair, he waved his hands, reached in deep into the hat and pulled out what appeared to be a long silver handle.

Jemima squeaked aloud as the full object came into view. "Holy Bast … is that Bustopher Jones' _spoon_?"

"Hahaha, yeah," Quaxo sniggered, breaking character for just a moment. "And knowing that stuffy old clown, he's probably running all over the mansion looking for it right now."

"Quaxo, that's so bad!"

"Ahem, and NOW!" Quaxo declared, waving the spoon about with a flourish before planting it upright into the ground. "I shall ask you, my lovely volunteer, to stand right about … _here_ for me."

Jemima kept her eyes on Quaxo's as he positioned her in front of the spoon. The top of the handle still extended a good three inches above her head before forming the shining ladle.

"And NOW ladies and gentlemen! I, the Magical Mister Mistoffelees, shall fire a bolt of lightning straight out of my paw and ignite this mystical spoon before your very eyes. What you are about to see is a dazzling lightning display unlike anything you've ever seen before! But …" He wagged one finger and pointed to Jemima. "The lightning shall not touch a single hair on Jemima's head."

_Okay, great. Jem looks just about ready to kill me. We are off to a fantastic start_.

"And now ladies and gentlemen! Prepare to be amazed!"

"_Quaxo Mistoffelees …_" Jemima ground out. "You had _better _know what the heck you're doing!"

_Yeah, no kidding_, Quaxo thought as he stared down at the sparks already dancing along his paw. "Don't be afraid, my lovely volunteer!" he said aloud. "The Magical Mister Mistoffelees shall not allow any harm to come to you."

But when the tuxedo tom lifted his gaze, what he saw was not a queen cowering in fear. Jemima was standing completely still and relaxed, her wide eyes fixed on his. Waiting. Expecting.

_Holy Bast. She trusts me._ The queen nodded to him once as if realizing he was the one who needed some reassurance. Sucking in a shaky breath, the tom fixed his eyes on the ladle above her and clenched the sparks in his palm. _Quaxo, you fool, don't you DARE screw this up!_

He fired the lightning bolt.

Jemima could not help but flinch as the electricity surged straight over her head. And then with a mighty crash something exploded behind her and every strand of fur on her body suddenly stood up on end. At first she remained frozen still, almost afraid to look, unsure of what she would see. But when she finally turned her head around, the sight that met her eyes made her catch her breath in amazement.

Quaxo, in all of his conjuring power, had transformed the spoon into a tree of lightning. The handle glowed like a pillar of light and the lightning branched out in all directions, sending a rainbow of sparks showering down over her head. Every beat of Jemima's heart reverberated through her as the electricity sang along her skin and crackled through the air. But, just as Quaxo promised, not a single bolt touched her where she stood.

"Woah!" Jemima spun around, beaming in utter ecstasy. "Quaxo, that … that's _amazing!_"

A few feet away, the tuxedo tom stood stock still, his paw still firing off a steady stream of lightning to keep the spoon alight. Jemima saw that his eyes were wide and panicked as if in disbelief that the trick actually worked. But when his gaze met hers, the alarm immediately melted away in place of a giddy smile.

_I did it … I really did it!_

Quaxo laughed aloud. It was all he could do not to break into a victory jig. He watched the scene in awe, mesmerized by the wonder shining in Jemima's eyes, her face glowing in the light that he himself had created.

He did not realize that one of the bolts had struck a tower of heavy paint cans nearby. Then there was a tiny crash, followed by a foreboding creak. Quaxo glanced up and the blood drained instantly from his face.

For a moment, the mountain of junk just swayed from side to side, and then it finally toppled … falling straight toward the calico queen who stood oblivious below.

"JEMIMA! NO!"

What happened next would be forever seared into Quaxo's memory. One moment Jemima had lifted her head too late and her brown eyes grew wide in terror. The next, the outline of her body flickered, faded, and then vanished completely … right before the avalanche of debris crashed down upon the empty space where she once stood.

XXXXXXXXX

"Oof!"

Jemima cried out as she fell onto the soft earth, struck by the unmistakable sound and feel of leaves crunching beneath her body. Her eyes blinked open, spots dancing before her vision before clearing to reveal the blue sky above.

The calico queen stood shakily to her feet, her head twisting about as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. To her astonishment, the only thing she could see were trees all around her and a leaf-covered ground rising before her in an upward slope.

No sign of the Junkyard. No sign of …

"Quaxo?" she called. "_Quaxo?_"

No answer. Panic gripped her suddenly, fiercely. She bolted forward and tried to stumble up the hill only to slip and fall backwards onto the leaves.

"_Quaxo!_" she screamed, fighting back helpless tears. "Somebody. Please! _Answer me!_"

And then, in the distance, someone called her name.

"Jem!" the voice cried. "Jem, is that you?"

"Quaxo!" she called back, her voice shaking with relief. "Quaxo, I'm down here!"

Footsteps. Paws racing frantically, crunching over the leaves. And then suddenly a small body came slipping, tumbling down the hill.

"Quaxo!" Jemima cried, racing to catch the falling tom as he regained himself and slid down to where she lay. "Quaxo, are you okay?"

Two panic-stricken eyes met hers. "Jem …"

And then the breath left both of their bodies as Quaxo crushed Jemima to him.

"Jem," he gasped. "Oh, thank God. You're alright … you're alright …"

"Quaxo …" Jemima shivered against him, wrapping her own arms about her friend. Her eyes blinked about in confusion "Where … where …"

And then the realization dawned on her. _The leaves ... these trees …_

"The woods?"

On the outskirts of the Junkyard – far from the sides that led to the heart of London – lay a small stretch of woods at the bottom of a hill. She and the other kittens sometimes liked to venture out and play there, but their parents always advised against it since it was so far.

It was a good hundred yards from where she and Quaxo had been standing just moments before.

"Quaxo …" Jemima murmured, wincing at the sudden twinge of pain in her skull. "Quaxo, what happened? How did I get out here?"

The tuxedo tom pulled away, his eyes tentatively searching her face. "I … that's what I was going to ask you. That tower was about to fall on you and then you just … _vanished._"

Jemima rubbed a hand over her forehead as it began to throb. "Vanished?"

"Yeah. I mean, one second you were there, and then … you _weren't_."

Quaxo stared down at his paws, unaware that his friend was clutching her head as the slicing pain increased twofold. "I … maybe I teleported you?" he wondered aloud. "I mean, I've done something like it before when I made Cassandra disappear. But I didn't think I could do something like …"

"No …" Jemima moaned, her eyes clenched shut. "No, I … I think that _I_ did this, Quaxo."

The tuxedo tom glanced up at her. "What?"

"I …" Jemima swayed on her feet. "I …"

Quaxo barely moved in time to catch her before she fell into his arms, unconscious.


	4. Chapter 3

_AN: Sorry for the delay! I'm currently dividing my time and energy between writing this fic and another fic at the same time, plus balancing regular good ole college life and all its craziness on top of that, hahaha._

_Thanks again to everyone who's reviewed and faved! And I also really appreciate the constructive criticism I've been getting. This is a very different genre/fanfic community than what I'm used to, so I'm glad that you guys are taking the time to give me honest critique. I'm taking all of it to heart as I'm moving forward. :)_

_Haha, a lot of you seem to think I'm being really mean to Cassandra! I did plan to go more into her character/the reasons behind her nastiness in this chapter, but as it turns out I'm gonna have to postpone that for a little while. In any case, it is not my intention to treat any character unfairly, especially since I'm borrowing them from someone else's imagination._

_Happy New Year everyone! I do not own Cats!_

_Last revised: 3/16/13_

**Chapter Three**

Beneath the porch, Munkustrap blinked open his eyes, his mind still heavy with sleep. Those same eyes squeezed shut at the bright sunlight that seeped in through the floorboards above. _Bast … I slept in._ With a long yawn, he snuggled into his mate's soft fur. _Hmm … I can afford to snooze for just five more minutes …_

And then his eyes flew open as a high-pitched whimpering filled his ears and he realized the body beside him was quivering in his arms.

"Demeter …?" With a groan, he lifted himself up to stare down at his mate. His chest clenched with worry when he saw that she was writhing upon the leaf bed with tears trickling down her face.

"No …" she moaned pitifully. "No, no, please, no …"

"Demeter …" He reached forward and placed a paw on her shoulder, but to his horror the queen jerked violently at his touch, her voice turning into a hysterical scream. "No! No, no, no, no don't! _Macavity!_"

"Dem!" Munkustrap cried, gripping her shoulders and trying to shake her awake. "Demeter, wake up. _Wake up!_"

With a weeping gasp, Demeter's eyes flew open. Her body heaved as sweat broke out over every inch of her skin. Her eyes wild eyes fixed themselves on her mate's, her dilated pupils ever so slowly shrinking into focus. "Munk …"

The silver tabby cradled her face and wiped the tears away. "I'm here. It's okay, Dem. You're alright."

Two green eyes blinked back at him, still swimming with uncertainty. And then her face twisted with anguish and she buried her face into his chest. "Munkustrap!"

Two strong arms wrapped themselves around her, holding her close as she began to sob. "Shhhh …" Munkustrap soothed, caressing her tenderly. "It was just a bad dream, Dem. It's over now, okay? It's over."

But the black and gold queen shook her head against his shoulder, refusing consolation. "I saw him!" she gasped. "He … he's coming back. He's coming back! _Macavity!_"

That name - _that horrible name -_ hit Munkustrap like a blow to the chest. He hissed aloud, his fur standing up on end, and he tightened his grip about his mate. _Why … why after all this time does he continue to torment her?_

"Don't be afraid," he whispered fiercely, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I promise you, Dem, I will never let him hurt you. I swear."

"_No!_" the queen shrieked, yanking herself out of his arms. Her head shook from side to side, tears pouring down her face. "Not _me! _It's not me I'm worried about. _Not me!_" She buried her face in her paws. "Not me …"

For a moment Munkustrap just blinked confusedly at his distraught mate. And then the dreadful realization dawned over his face and sank deep into his gut.

_Oh …_

_Oh no._

"He'll find her, Munk," Demeter sobbed. "He'll take her away from us, I know he will!"

"_No._" Munkustrap reached forward and grasped her firmly by the shoulders. "No, he won't. I won't allow it. Demeter, look at me." He waited patiently for her to lift her eyes, meeting her frantic gaze with strength and assurance. "He won't take her," he said. "Or you. I swear to you, Dem, I will protect our family. No matter what happens."

"Munk …" Demeter shuddered once, and then she gagged suddenly. Before Munkustrap could react, the queen had yanked herself out of his grip and scurried to the other corner of the porch.

"Dem?" He stared after her, perplexed. And then alarm shot through his heart as he watched her body convulse and she vomited into the leaves. "_Dem!_"

He was instantly at her side, massaging along her arched back as she continued to retch loudly. After several minutes, her stomach was completely emptied out and she coughed and collapsed against him with a low moan. "Munk …"

Swallowing back his panic, the silver tabby pressed a paw to her forehead. _She doesn't feel hot … it can't be a fever. But …_ He surveyed her body with dread, taking in her clouded eyes, her sickly pallor. _But something is wrong. Very, very wrong. _

"Just relax, Dem," he whispered. "I'm taking you to Jenny …"

"Munkustrap! Demeter!"

The sudden, frantic yell nearly made the tabby jump right out of his skin. His head shot up as a familiar scarlet face appeared just outside the porch.

"Bombalurina?" he called back, taking in his sister-in-law's panicked expression. "Bomba, what is it?"

"You have to come quickly," she answered breathlessly. "It's Jemima. She fainted …"

XXXXXXXXX

Outside Jennyanydot's den, a lone tuxedo tom sat wringing his paws nervously as he awaited word of his friend's condition. Nearly an hour had passed since he'd carried Jemima's unconscious body back to the Junkyard and since then he hadn't known a single second of calm.

_Bast, what could have made her conk out like that? What if … what if when the tower fell, something had actually hit her and … _Quaxo's blood turning cold at the thought of that possibility. _Oh Bast … Jem, please be okay. _

For the hundredth time he turned to stare at the den entrance, growling in frustration as it remained as silent and motionless as ever. _And what in Bast's name is taking Jenny so long? It can't be that serious … can it? _

"Quaxo?"

Broken out of his reverie, the tuxedo tom turned to see the psychic twins Coricopat and Tantomile saunter up to him. Their faces were identical masks of mild concern and knowing tranquility as they glanced toward Jenny's den.

"Any word?" Coricopat asked calmly.

Quaxo shook his head, letting out a long breath. "No. Jenny's still in there with her. I haven't heard a darn thing."

Tantomile offered him a placid smile. "No need to be so worried, Quaxo. Jemima is perfectly fine."

The tom frowned at her. "How can you be so sure?"

The twins shrugged. "We can feel it," they said in unison.

Quaxo rolled his eyes. _Naturally._ Nonetheless, their assurance lent him a great deal of relief.

With a chuckle, Coricopat reached over and patted the tom on the shoulder. "Seriously though, there's nothing to worry about, Quaxo. Considering the intense transition Jemima underwent last night, I'm almost surprised she didn't pass out sooner."

The tuxedo tom stared back at him through narrowed eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Jemima's body and mind are under a great deal of strain," Coricopat explained. "Realizing one's powers is a profound experience, especially for someone as young as she."

_Her … powers? _"Are you … are you talking about her singing?"

Tantomile smiled. "Oh Quaxo, Jemima's solo at the Ball was so much more than just 'singing.' It was the first manifestation of her mystical powers. Jemima is a mystic, Quaxo. Through and through."

"What?" Quaxo's jaw fell open. "Jem's … a _mystic?_"

"Yes. She's one of the most powerful mystics we've encountered in a long time."

Quaxo stared down at his feet as he absorbed this revelation. _Holy Bast. Jemima … a mystic. _Well, he supposed he shouldn't be too surprised. It was more than obvious that her performance had a supernatural quality.

He turned back to the twins. "So … what kind of mystic is she? I mean … what exactly _is_ her power?"

Coricopat looked up thoughtfully. "Well, it's a little difficult to describe. It's unlike anything Tantomile or I had ever experienced before. Jemima's gift … it's something like a form of telepathy. Except she doesn't hear the words that are in your mind." He smiled. "She hears the songs within a Jellicle's _heart_."

Quaxo's eyes widened, his paw insentiently reaching up toward his own chest. "A Jellicle's _heart?_"

Tantomile nodded. "Yes. It's quite extraordinary. Jemima can tap into those deeper thoughts and emotions that an ordinary cat can't express in words. But what's even more incredible is that she has the ability to translate those incoherent feelings into a song that anyone can understand. She probably can't control it just yet. She even needed a little help from us at the Ball, if you remember. But I've never seen anyone grasp her powers so quickly as she did last night."

Quaxo nodded slowly, thinking back to the Moments of Happiness song "Yeah. I … I guess that makes sense." His eyes lit up in wonder. "That's … that's amazing!"

Coricopat smiled in agreement. "We also believe that Jemima has the power to hear from the Heavyside Layer itself. A power of that magnitude … for it to be manifested so fully in her in such a short amount of time … physically and spiritually, it must be overwhelming. Surely you can remember what it was like when you realized your own powers, Quaxo."

_Oh yeah. _The tuxedo tom smirked as he glanced down at his paws. Yes, he could recall that moment quite clearly – that moment when he fired a lightning bolt for the very first time. It happened many months ago when Quaxo was still a kitten. Alonzo had been picking on him, as usual; Quaxo was the only other tom-kit in the litter _and _the runt, which naturally singled him out as Alonzo's target of choice.

To this day, Quaxo can't quite remember exactly what it was that made him go off. All he knows that his older brother did _something_ that pissed him off so much that his fury literally _exploded_ out of his arms. If Alonzo hadn't jumped out of the way a split-second too soon, he would have been fried for sure. The family's antique rococo desk, however, did not escape destruction so easily.

Everything changed for Quaxo after that day. It was the day that marked him as the sole successor to the Magical Mister Mistofelees' name and legacy. It was also the day that, as Alonzo lovingly put it, "Quaxo's head swelled up to the size of a blimp and he turned into this cocky little magic troll." Quaxo would prefer to think it was the day he gained a whole new _confidence_ and _charisma_ to match his conjuring skills_. _But that was only after he spent the next week holed up in Jenny's den with burning cramps in his arms that only ended with him losing all feeling in his limbs for an additional week. Jenny had assured him back then that it was perfectly normal; his body just wasn't used to containing that kind of power yet.

_Right …_ _so something similar must be happening to Jemima._

A laugh from Coricopat broke Quaxo out of his musings. "When Tanto and I first discovered _our_ powers, we _both_ passed out. _At the same time!_" The twins fell against each other, howling with laughter at the memory. "We were out for a whole _week!_ Everyone was freaking out!"

Quaxo's stomach dropped. "A _week?_ Are you saying Jemima's going to be out that long?"

Tanto shook her head quickly. "Oh no, no, no, no. I don't expect so. In fact …" She closed, her eyes, concentrating. "Yes … her mind's still unconscious, but her brain waves are active. She's dreaming. Yes … I expect she'll be waking up before the day is over."

"Oh good," Quaxo sighed. But then he frowned as another thought came to him. "Hey Cori, Tanto … does Jemima's power also involve … _teleportation?_"

The twins blinked at him. "What?"

"I mean … she's a mystic, so she might have other powers, right? Could one of those powers be to …"

"_Quaxo!_"

The sounds of pounding footsteps and heaving gasps suddenly rang through their ears. Quaxo spun around to face a frantic-looking Munkustrap who had bounded up to the den.

"Where is she?" the Jellicle Protector gasped out, his eyes shifting wildly and his chest heaving as if he'd run a great distance. "Quaxo, where's Jemima?"

Swallowing, tuxedo tom pointed toward the den entrance. "Sh-she's in there, Munkustrap. Jenny's with her …"

He barely got the last words out before the silver tabby leapt past him and began banging on the door. "Jenny!" he yelled. "Jenny, it's me! It's Munkustrap! Open up! Jenny!"

After a moment, the door lifted open with a creak and the Gumbie Cat tiptoed out with her finger pressed against her lips. "Shhhh, Munkunstrap!" she hissed, pushing the door closed behind her. "Do not be so loud, brother! Jemima is resting."

"Sis," Munkustrap gasped. "What happened? Bomba said she fainted. Is she alright? Is she hurt?"

"She is _fine_," Jenny soothed. "From what I can tell, the poor dear simply passed out from exhaustion. Quaxo here was there to catch her, so she's not hurt. She just needs to take it easy and get some fluids in her, that's all."

"Oh …" Munkustrap breathed out in relief. "Is she awake?"

The Gumbie Cat smiled comfortingly. "No, she's still unconscious, but that's nothing to worry about. That's just her body asking for some good rest now."

The Jellicle Protector nodded quietly, and then he turned to face the tuxedo tom. "Quaxo, what happened? What caused Jemima to faint?"

Quaxo froze, shrinking inwardly as he felt every eye fix themselves on him. _Crap … okay, Quaxo. Now's probably not the time to tell your best friend's father that you were shooting lightning bolts at her head and almost made a tower of heavy cans fall on top of her._

"I … I don't know …" he stammered, opting to give as much of the truth as he could afford to. "We were just playing around near the edge of the Junkyard and then all of a sudden Jemima just … she just _vanished._"

Munkunstrap narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean … _vanished?_"

"I mean … one second she was there and then … she _wasn't_."

For several moments the Jellicle Protector just stared at the younger tom, uncomprehending. And then, suddenly, something clicked in his mind and his eyes widened, the blood draining from his face as if he was in shock.

"Brother?" Jenny whispered, placing a paw on his shoulder as he stood there frozen for several painful seconds.

Munkustrap blinked, snapped out of his stupor. "I-I'm sorry, I …" He let out a shaky breath and shook his head quickly. "It's nothing. Can … can I see her, please?"

The Gumbie Cat stared at him quizzically, then nodded. "Yes, of course. Just try not to wake her up yet. The poor dear needs her rest."

"Yes. Of course," he answered numbly. And then, "Jenny, I must also ask a favor of you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"It's Demeter. She's taken ill. She was throwing up this morning, it doesn't feel like she has a temperature, but …"

"Oh dear," Jenny murmured sympathetically. "Well, where is she, then?"

"She's still at the porch. Bomba's with her. Could you …"

"Oh, yes! Of course. Just let me get my bag." The Gumbie Cat patted her brother fondly on the shoulder before disappearing briefly back inside the den. She reemerged just a moment later with her large medical bag in hand, and with a tip of her hat she waddled off on her way toward the direction of the neighborhoods.

"Munkustrap …" Coricopat spoke up after Jenny had gone. "Tantomile and I also have a request for you regarding Jemima."

The Jellicle Protector turned to face the twins, his expression somewhat suspicious. "What sort of request?"

Tantomile cleared her throat. "With your permission Munkustrap, Coricopat and I were hoping to do a simple reading of Jemima's psyche. Just to ensure that everything is sound. Her unconscious state would make the process easier for all three of us and it would not cause her any undue stress …"

"_You want to probe her mind?"_ Munkustrap roared, his eyes stretched wide with horror.

Tantomile raised her paws quickly in surprise. "I-It wouldn't cause her any harm, Munkunstrap. Cori and I simply want to …"

"_Why?_" Munkustrap demanded furiously. "Why would you want to do such a thing!"

"We …" Tantomile swallowed. "Last night we sensed a _glitch_ in Jemima's mind. An irregularity. We felt it during the Moments of Happiness song when she first realized her powers." The queen paused, searching Munkustrap's face carefully and taking in his aghast expression at her words. "I-It should be nothing to worry about. But just to be safe my brother and I would like to take another look …"

"_No!_" All three cats sitting about him leapt back in surprise as the Jellicle Protector exploded, his face turning red with fury. "You will do no such thing. Not to Jemima. _Not to my daughter! No!_"

Coricopat backed away slowly. "Munkustrap, we did not mean to upset you …"

"Leave_._" Munkustrap growled_._ "I want you both to leave now. Don't you _dare_ ever ask this to me again."

"But Munkustrap …"

"_Leave!_"

The twins shrank back, exchanging bewildered looks. Then, murmuring quiet apologies under their breaths, they meekly bowed their heads and slunk away.

From his place beside the den, the young tuxedo tom watched the scene in absolute astonishment. He stared disbelievingly at the seething Munkustrap as he glared after the retreating twins with his paws clenched in fists at his sides, his shoulders shaking …

But what was most terrifying to behold was the dreadful play of emotions across the older tabby's face, his expression shifting back and forth between anger … and _fear._ Profound and undeniable _fear._

He was terrified.

"Munkustrap …" Quaxo whispered. This was a side of the Jellicle Protector that he had never seen. As their leader, Munkustrap was always the one they counted on to be strong and level-headed in every situation. Not once had they ever seen him lose his temper like this. "Munk …th-they didn't mean any harm, they just …"

"Quaxo." The Jellicle Protector's eyes fell shut. "I'm going to ask you to leave as well."

The tuxedo tom's eyes widened. "But … but Munkunstrap …"

"Quaxo." Munkustrap's chest rose and the breath left his lungs in a shaky exhale. "Please."

The younger tom didn't – _couldn't – _move at first. No. No, he didn't want to leave. He wanted to see Jemima. He wanted to be there when she woke up. Just so he could see that she was really okay …

"Quaxo." The Jellicle Protector turned to face him, his voice now heavy with warning.

With a gulp, the tuxedo tom reluctantly stood up from his seat. "Alright. Um … please, when … when Jemima wakes up, um …" He bowed his head. "Please tell her I'm sorry."

Munkustrap flinched at his words and quietly watched the young tom skulk away.

_Bast …_ With a heavy sigh, the tabby ran a paw through his head fur as the weight of shame sank deep into his chest. _What am I doing? I shouldn't have lost it like that._ He glanced toward the den entrance. _Quaxo's right, they didn't mean any harm. It's just that … they just don't … __they don't ..._

_They don't understand._

Swallowing hard, the Jellicle Protector quietly lifted the door to the den and tiptoed inside.

He found Jemima curled up in the far back corner of the den, lovingly swaddled in cotton blankets. The tabby couldn't help but smile upon sight of the sweet face peeking out from her soft cocoon. She looked pale yet serene, her eyes closed and her face tranquil in sleep. Her chest rose and fell quietly beneath the blankets.

Careful so as not to wake her, Munkustrap reached down and stroked his fingers along her cheek, marveling at her beauty. _She has grown up so much. And yet she still seems so kitten-like … so innocent …_

His breath suddenly caught in his throat, his chest squeezing with pain. Kneeling down, he wrapped his arms about her lithe frame as if to shield her from the rest of the world.

_Oh Jem … dearest Jemima … how much longer will I be able to protect you …?_

XXXXXXXXX

_Ding ... ding … ding …_

Many miles from the Junkyard, a lone creature stalked out across the desolate earth in the direction of the railroad tracks. The wind whistled through his coarse tawny fur and his long claws tore through the soil as he walked. Two sunken black eyes surveyed the land, searching … and then his ears pricked at the sound of a faraway train juddering its way across the distance. The creature stopped in his tracks, cringing from the memory that suddenly flashed through his mind. The memory tied to that hideous sound.

With a shudder, he quickly regained himself and continued on his way.

He found it just a moment later – a large stone of triangular shape planted upright into the earth, set just a few feet from the edge of the track. The soil surrounding the stone was reddish in color, as if to signify what lay beneath it. The stone was a lone and meager testament to that horrific day forever seared into the cat's broken mind.

It was the day when he lost everything that he ever held dear.

The cat moved closer, standing before the erected memorial. He observed how his shadow fell over the stone's surface and stretched forbiddingly across the crimson ground. How often had he found himself standing upon this very spot with his heart so heavy with grief and self-loathing he felt ready to sink straight through the earth? But this day … this day the cat felt no sense of heaviness. In fact ... his chest has never felt so light.

A smile stretched his hideous face, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the cat felt _hope_ bursting within him. The sick, twisted hope born of a deranged mind.

His thoughts traveled back to the night before. The night he came so close to taking back what rightfully belonged to him. The night he saw ... _her. _And in that moment – that single indescribable moment – he felt it. He didn't know how it could be. He didn't understand how it was possible. But there was no denying it, no mistaking it. He _felt _it.

He felt _her._

The cat began to laugh. The sound started low and deep and then grew higher and higher in pitch and volume. His arms flailed as he cackled wildly, the flames of hysteria dancing in his eyes.

And then with a shrill cry, one arm swung out and sliced downward upon the rock with his silvery claws extended.

In a single swipe, the erected rock was slashed into a thousand pieces.

The cat chuckled gleefully as the stone crumbled into nothing, the debris rolling, scattering across the earth. He smirked cruelly at his handiwork and kicked one useless pebble out of the way.

_This is of no more use …_

And then the cat's gaze swung eastward, off toward the horizon. Off in the direction where he knew his destiny awaited him. His mouth stretched into a grin, his fangs glistening menacingly beneath the sun.

_I'm coming for you, my dear …_

XXXXXXXXX

_AN: Yeah, not nearly enough fluff or action in this chapter to make up for my long absence, I know. School's starting up again for me soon, but I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can. For those wondering what the heck is going on, everything will make sense eventually, I promise! __Stay tuned for more on Quaxo's family history and a peek into Jemima's dreams._ Cheers! 


	5. Chapter 4

_AN: Hey guys! First off … I'm SO SORRY about the ridiculously long delay. Pretty much all of my free time had been consumed by school and work as I finished off my last semester as a college senior. And now … I've graduated! Yeeeeeaaahhhhh! :D_

_In my spare time, I've revamped quite a bit of Chapter Two based on some very astute suggestions from my reviewers. There are no serious plot changes, but I seriously reworked Jemima's interactions with Tugger in a way that made more sense, and I also added several new lines to Quaxo and Misto's conversation that gives quite a bit more insight into where Victoria is right now and Jemima's relationship to her. Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to review thus far and help me make this story the best it can be. I hope you enjoy this chapter! __And please feel free to drop me a review! Nothing makes me happier! :)_

_Oh, and by the way! If any of you are Les Mis fans, I uploaded the first chapters of a Joly x Eponine fic I'm starting called _If I Could Close Your Wounds._ Yes, you read that right. Joly x Eponine. Feel free to check it out!_

**Chapter Four**

XXXXXXXXX

"Bast, I hate patrols,_" _Alonzo muttered to himself as he paced the Junkyard for what had to be the twentieth time. Dragging his feet along the ground, he kicked a can out of the way and let out a low growl of frustration.

_Sheesh, do we really need constant patrols the day after the Ball? Seriously? Haven't I earned the right to sleep in today? Bast!_

With aching feet, the black and white tom plopped down heavily onto the ground, resting for just a moment.

"Hey there, handsome."

Alonzo's ears perked up as a sultry voice floated his way from a nearby junk pile. He turned and smiled as a familiar heart-shaped face peeked out from a cardboard box and one almond eye winked at him from the shadows.

"Well, hello there, beautiful," he hummed. "How you doing today?"

Chuckling lightly, the slender brown queen sashayed her way over to him and tickled him under his chin. "Not bad, honey. I haven't seen you since the Ball. What have you been doing all day, hm?"

Alonzo sighed as the tension in his muscles released beneath her touch. "Munkustrap's got me stuck on patrol duty. Ever since last night's Macavity incident, the guy's been super paranoid about a second attack."

"Awww …" the queen crooned. "You look exhausted, honey. Here, let me make it all better."

Alonzo purred, leaning in contentedly as she began to stroke his face.

"_Ahem._"

Both cats froze. Slowly, they turned until their eyes met those of the incensed-looking Cassandra who had just walked onto the scene.

"Oops!" Exotica giggled, backing away from Alonzo. She winked at Cassandra. "We were just playing around, Cass. Don't take it too seriously."

"_Leave!_" the Abyssinian queen snapped, her blue eyes glinting.

The smile faded from Exotica's lips. Murmuring a quick but sugary goodbye to Alonzo, she rounded the corner of the junk pile and disappeared.

"How dare you?" Cassandra hissed, stalking furiously toward her mate.

The black and white tom rolled his eyes. "Come on, Cass. It's just a game. You know that."

"She's my _cousin_, you idiot. Do you have any idea how that looks! What if someone had seen you two carrying on like a couple of mongrels in heat, you brainless cad? Did you think about that?"

"Hypocrite," Alonzo snarled.

Cassandra's eyes shot wide. "_Excuse me?_"

"Oh, don't play dumb," he snapped, suddenly enraged. "You've been smoozing it up with my little brother since the end of the ball, you two-faced harpy."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"No? Then I guess Mungojerrie just _imagined_ he saw that little scene you were making with Quaxo at the north end just this morning."

Cassandra choked, guilt flashing through her eyes. And then her eyes narrowed and she growled, "Well I'd say _you started it_, acting like some kind of _Tugger_-wannabe with all those _kittens_ last night!"

The two mates glared daggers at each other, both refusing to yield. It was in moments like these that either cat found themselves wondering if their relationship was really worth all the thorns that came with it. Yes, they did love each other. When their relationship was at its best, they were the most affectionate pair in the Tribe. But Cassandra was proud and high maintenance, and Alonzo was cocky and juvenile. He was a compulsive flirt, one who tried too hard to beat out Tugger as the lady's cat of the Junkyard. In retaliation, the indignant Cassandra had taken to inciting _his_ jealousy the best way she knew how – by flirting with Quaxo. It was a vicious cycle that always defined their bond and it only seemed to worsen over time.

Finally, Cassandra let out a tired sigh and reached over to stroke her mate along the cheek.

"Come on, Alonzo," she whispered, her face softening. "Let's just go home so we can make it up to each other, alright?"

"Can't," Alonzo breathed out in frustration, though he reached up to return her caresses with his own. "I have to stay on patrols for another three hours at least."

The queen pouted. "Aww. If he's so scared about Macavity coming back, why can't he just do the patrols himself?"

"He's stuck at Jenny's den. Jemima passed out earlier today and he doesn't want to leave her …"

His voice cut off when he saw his mate's eyes suddenly turn venomous. "Jemima," she hissed. "Jemima, Jemima, Jemima. Now why does the whole world suddenly revolve around that spoiled, straight-laced little brat?"

Alonzo rolled his eyes at her. "Quit acting so jealous, Cass."

The queen recoiled as if struck. "_Jealous?_ Ha! Why in Bast's name would I be jealous of that _kitten_?"

"Because now that she's realized her powers, you're not the only moon mystic in the Tribe anymore."

Cassandra froze, her face paling as his veritable words struck her straight to the core. Her mind flashed back to the previous night … that horrible moment when she realized that the moonlight had filled that kitten's eyes the same way they once only filled hers.

"S-so what?" she rasped. "What threat is that to me? Her powers are _nothing_ compared to mine." Then, face twisting as if with grief, she pulled away from her mate. "Leave me alone."

"Cass …"

"Leave me alone!"

And with that the proud queen turned and stormed off, leaving her mate to stare after her, shaking his head. He silently hoped for Jemima's sake that Cassandra's jealousy would never go beyond simple loathing …

XXXXXXXXX

With the darkness came dreams, and with the dreams came memories. Memories that were soft and faded like an old photograph coated in dust and long hidden away. Unlike the nightmares that crashed over her the night before, these dreams bore the sleeping Jemima gently like an ebbing stream. And she drifted, flowing backwards as her mind conjured up those memories that she had not even realized she had forgotten …

XXXXXXXXX

"_Jenny … what is wrong with her?"_

_The little calico's ears perked at the sound of her mother's voice. Carefully so as not to alert the adults outside that she was awake, the kitten rolled over upon the bed and leaned in to better hear the voices beyond the door._

"_I can't be sure, Demeter," she heard her aunt reply. "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her vocal cords at all. Her throat is healthy. So are her lungs. She should be able to speak just fine, but …"_

"_Then why is she mute?" came her father's voice. "Jenny, she hasn't spoken a word in weeks!"_

_Another sigh from her aunt. "Well … I'm sorry to say this, but … it could very well be that she is suffering from trauma, poor thing."_

_The kitten's heart broke when a loud sob erupted from behind the door. "Oh Munk!" she heard her mother cry. "What are we going to do? What if she is always like this?"_

"_Shhhh …" came the soothing hush from her father. "We'll help her, Dem. We'll find a way. She's going to be fine."_

"_But what if she isn't? Oh Munk, why is this happening? Why? Why?"_

_The kitten felt tears spilling down her face as her mother's cries continued on in earnest. Sniffling, she buried her face in the blankets and covered her ears with her tiny paws. She couldn't bear to hear her mother hurting so much, especially knowing that she was the cause of it. _

_Then she heard the soft approach of footsteps and rolled over quickly so she was facing the wall. The fridge door creaked open and the sunlight shone in, and then there was a paw at the kitten's shoulder._

_She lifted her head, blinking against the sudden brightness until she could make out her father's warm, smiling face. _

"_Come on, Jem," he whispered. "We're going home."_

_She blinked, then nodded, snuggling into his as he lifted her up into his arms and carried her out into the light. He could feel him stroking along her back and she nuzzled him, praying the action spoke all the words she couldn't bring herself to say._

_I'm sorry … I love you … I'm sorry … I love you …_

_She felt her father's lips against her forehead. "It's going to be alright, Jem. It's going to be alright …"_

XXXXXXXXX

"_Aha! Tag! You're it! You're it!"_

"_Agh! No fair!"_

"_Eeek! Run!"_

_Shrieks of laughter rang out through the air, startling the napping kitten awake. Rubbing her paws over her eyes, she crept forward and peeked around the other side of the junk pile, where she spotted a group of giggling kittens chasing each other around in circles. One gray and white tomkit was racing after two queenkits, while the rest were climbing up on top of the opposite piles._

"_Tumble!" one queenkit shrieked. "Slow down, you meanie!"_

"_Ha! No way!" the tomkit yelled, and then he leaped forward and tapped the little queenkit on the back paw._

"_Eeek!"_

"_Tag! Now you're it, Cettie!"_

"_Eeek! I'm it! Run away! Ah!"_

_Then with a chorus of squeals, the kittens once again gave chase, jumping and tumbling over one another in their rush. _

_The little calico kitten watched on forlornly from her hiding place, wishing that she could join in with their game. They looked like they were having so much fun …_

_And then one of the tomkits turned to look in her direction and stopped, his eyes popping wide when they met hers._

"_Hey!" he yelled, pointing straight at her. "Hey guys, look! Who's that?"_

_The kitten froze, her heart stopping in her chest as the rest of the group stopped to gape at her with wide, curious eyes._

"_Oh, hi!" shrieked one queenkit, the one they called 'Cettie.' "Who are you? What's your name? Wanna play tag?"_

_The kitten didn't respond, the terror clearly written all over her face. She shrank back, her little body trembling in fear as her eyes shrank and widened sporadically._

"_Hey, that's Munkustrap's kitten, right? I think her name's … Jenna, or something?"_

"_Why isn't she saying anything? Is she stupid?"_

"_Shut up, Pouncival! Look at her. She's scared."_

_And then one of the kittens – a beautiful, snowy white queenkit – stepped forward and reached out a paw toward the terrified calico. "Hey, it's okay," she whispered when the kitten backed away. "My name is Victoria. Do you want to come play with us?"_

_With her mouth quivering, the calico shook her head and covered her eyes from the queenkit's gentle gaze._

"_Oh no, don't be scared. Why don't you tell us your name?"_

_The queenkit took another step forward and the calico kitten bolted, scurrying away from them as fast as her little paws could carry her._

"_Hey! Wait …!"_

_She could hear the kittens shouting behind her, but the little calico kept on running until their voices faded behind her. She raced on and on with tears blurring her vision, not stopping until she reached the very edge of the Junkyard. Gasping for breath, she hid behind a pile of boxes and looked around just once to make sure that she was truly alone. Then, seeing no one, she collapsed into the dirt and her body began to shake with violent sobs._

_Why … why was she so scared to play with them? Why couldn't she talk like a normal kitten? Why does her body freeze up every time another cat comes close to her? _

_Why …_

_Why did she have to be such a freak?_

"_PRESTO!"_

_The exuberant yell caused the calico kitten to jump, and then suddenly a loud crash resounded from somewhere nearby. __Her head spun about, searching for the source of the noise, but she could see no one through her tear-soaked eyes. _

_And then there was another yell – "PRESTO!" – followed by another mighty crash, and the calico realized that the sounds were coming from behind the nearby junk pile. She quietly tiptoed over to it, peeking around … and what she saw made her eyes widen in surprise and confusion._

_It was a tomkit – a rather small one at that – with black and white fur patterned so that he looked like he was wearing a tuxedo. But the tomkit was _sparkling. _Literally sparkling with tiny dots of light scattered along his fur from head to toe. The kitten watched as he danced around in a circle, spinning an impossible number of times and twirling what looked like a fancy top hat in his paw._

"_And now, ladies and gentleman!" he cried in a squeaky voice. "For my next trick, I … the Magical Mister Mistoffelees … will pull five mice right out of this hat!"_

_The calico kitten leaned in closer, utterly mesmerized as the tomkit waved one paw over the upturned hat. And then the tomkit snapped his fingers, causing a cloud of purple smoke and glitter burst up out of the brim. The kitten gasped in astonishment, covering her mouth to stifle the sound._

"_Ladies and gentleman, feast your eyes!" the tomkit cried dramatically. And with that his paw dived down inside the hat and yanked up a fistful of plump, squeaking mice right by their tails!_

"_PRESTO!"_

_The tomkit let out a whoop, waving the mice about as the kitten's mouth fell open in awe. Then, before she even realized what she was doing, she started clapping her paws together in enraptured applause. _

_The tomkit jumped, his ears perking, and the kitten's paws immediately froze in midair. "Wha …" Whirling around, the tomkit looked up and spotted her. And then his face flushed red as if in embarrassment. _

"_Oh, uh …" He cleared his throat and hid the mice behind his back, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Hi there, miss. Um … I didn't realize I was being watched. Uh … how long … have you been there?"_

_The kitten just stared back at him silently, frozen like a statue with her mouth opening and closing without a sound. _

"_Hey ...I don't think I've seen you before." The tomkit smiled and took a step forward. "My name is Quaxo. What's your name?"_

_Her face paling, the kitten trembled and began to back away._

"_Hey … you okay? What's wrong?"_

_And then the tomkit leaned forward as if to take another step and with a squeak the calico closed her eyes and covered her face with her paws._

"_Hey, hey, don't cry!" the tomkit cried, bewildered as he watched her little shoulders begin to shake. Thinking fast, he pulled the mice out from behind his back. "Here, do you … do you want one of these?"_

_The calico didn't respond at first … but after a moment her fingers slowly parted and she peeked out at him with inquisitive eyes._

"_Here …" he said, taking a single mouse out from the bunch. "You can have this one, if you'd like."_

_The calico stared at him helplessly, not knowing what to do. She looked down and her mouth watered at the sight of the plump, juicy-looking mouse. Ever so slowly, she lowered her paws, carefully gauging the tomkit's expression._

_Well … he didn't look like he was going to hurt her. His eyes were warm, and his smile was genuine and friendly. And something in his face reminded her of the snowy white queenkit who tried to approach her just a few minutes before. _

_The tomkit smiled at her again, nodding once as if to reassure her that he meant her no harm. The kitten stared back at him, timid and uncertain. Then, taking a deep breath, she ever so carefully began to creep forward. _

"_There we go. I don't bite. Here …" The tomkit stretched out the mouse toward her. "Take it. It's yours."_

_She stopped, fearfully gazing down at the mouse as if expecting it to leap out and attack her. Then, with a quivering paw, she grabbed it and pulled away quickly, hugging the still squeaking mouse to her breast._

_The tomkit chuckled, watching as she nodded at him once to thank him and then lifted the mouse to her lips. "Gee, you don't talk much, do you? Well … that's okay. How is it? It tastes good, doesn't it?"_

_The kitten just sat there chewing for a moment, and then she lifted her eyes and nodded, the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips._

"_Terrific! The Magical Mister Mistoffelees only uses the choicest of mice for his amazing conjuring tricks." Then a spark of mischief suddenly flashed through his eyes. "Say, do you want to see another trick?"_

_The calico blinked at him, a little bit fearful at first. But then her shy smile widened and she nodded._

"_Cool! Watch this!" the tomkit exclaimed, and then he twirled around once and raised his arms toward the sky._

"_And now for my next trick, ladies and gentleman, I … the Magical Mister Mistoffelees … am going to magically set a stack of boxes on fire!"_

_And with that he spun about so that he was facing the stack that stood just a few feet away and began waving his arms as if casting a spell. _

_The calico leaned in closer, spellbound by his movements as the tomkit closed his eyes tight in concentration. Then he spun around once again, swinging his arm out with a flourish …_

_And a great bolt of lightning exploded out of his paw._

_The kitten couldn't breathe. Shock, then terror, ripped suddenly and savagely through her mind. _

No …

_Her mind screamed the word._

No, no, no, no, no!

_The boxes burst into flames and then something inside of her snapped. Her mouth stretched open and she screamed._

"_NOOOOOOO!" _

"_Huh?" The tomkit spun around. "W-w-what … what is it? Are you …"_

_But the kitten couldn't hear him. She had curled herself into a little ball on the ground, clutching her head between her paws and whimpering pitifully as she rocked back and forth._

"_Hey …" the tomkit whispered, approaching her carefully. "Hey … sorry … I didn't mean to scare you …"_

_And then at the brush of his paw against her shoulder, the kitten shot to her feet and raced away. _

_She ran on and on, all the way through the streets of London. All the way to the little house where her family lived. Sobbing for breath, she darted down under the porch and into the leaves, her heart pounding so fast she feared it would explode right out of her chest._

"_Jemima?" her mother cried, peeking out from the back corner. "Jemima, sweetheart! What is it? What's wrong?"_

_With a wail, the kitten raced across the ground, threw herself into her mother's arms and began to weep._

"_Oh Jem …" _

_The kitten felt her mother's arms wrap around her as she sobbed helplessly into her breast. She clung on tightly as her mother rocked her back and forth, whispering soothing words into her ear. After a moment, she felt her mother's chest hitch against her cheek, and then hot tears splashed against her head that were not her own. Pressing a kiss against her forehead, her mother pulled the kitten in closer._

"_Oh, Jemima … my poor, poor Jemima …"_

XXXXXXXX

_The little calico kitten did not interact well with other cats. Whenever her parents tried to introduce her to anyone in the Tribe, she'd just hide behind her mother and refuse to show her face. After many failed attempts to coax her out of her shell, her parents finally decided to let her stay under the porch by herself where she felt safest._

_However, there were two other cats in the kitten's life besides her parents who she loved and trusted without a single hint of fear. They were her Uncle Skimbleshanks and her Auntie Jennyanydots. _

_And few things made the kitten happier than visiting her Uncle Skimble on the Night Mail train._

_That was what brought her wandering over to the train station one day not long after the incident in the Junkyard. It was around noontime, and all of the workmen were gone to lunch, so the kitten was free to roam about the platform without notice. It took her only a minute to find her uncle, who was napping in his usual spot on the edge of the train caboose. Feeling rather mischievous, she scampered up to the edge of the platform and leaped off, pouncing right on top of her uncle and jolting him awake._

"_Och!" the orange tabby cried, tumbling to the ground. Then he shot up, his eyes wide as he whirled around in search of his attacker. But when his eyes landed on the smiling little calico, the tabby's look of alarm was quickly replaced by a wide grin._

"_Ohoho! Jemima, you naughty little lassie!" And with that, the tabby pulled her in for a hug and pinched her playfully on the cheek. "Come to visit your dear Uncle Skimble, have you?"_

_The kitten nodded happily, rubbing her head against his shoulder._

"_Well, come on and sit here then, lass!" the tabby cried, patting the spot on the floorboards beside him. "There's always room aboard here for my favorite little niece."_

_The kitten obliged, snuggling close to her uncle as he wrapped one arm about her._

"_And you came at a good time, too!" he continued, reaching into the breast pocket of his waistcoat and pulling out two enormous mice. "Caught these two fatties here last night while we were passing through Crewe. Shall we split them then, Jem? One for me and one for you?"_

_The kitten's eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically, grabbing the fattest mouse out of his paws and munching into it. Her uncle laughed, ruffling her fur. _

"_Ah, you're sure a sweet one, lass. Although …" His eyes softened. "You really ought to be playing with more kittens your own age. Haven't you made any friends back there in the Junkyard yet?"_

_The question made the kitten's eyes grow sad. She turned her face away and shook her head._

"_No? How about that Miss Victoria, then? She's a nice young kitten. And she was asking about you just the other day, actually."_

_The kitten's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she just shook her head and took another bite of her mouse._

"_Aw, she'd make a good playmate for you, lassie. She's a bit shy like you, but very sweet. Her brother, Quaxo, he's a real nice young tomkit as well."_

_The kitten's head jerked up at Quaxo's name, and it did not escape her uncle's notice._

"_Hm? Do you know Master Quaxo then?"_

_Regaining herself, the little calico shook her head and averted her eyes. _

"_Well, believe it or not, he and Miss Victoria are twins. You'd never tell just by looking at them, would you. Ah yes, Master Quaxo takes after his father and Miss Victoria after her mother, most certainly." _

_He smirked when the calico looked up at him curiously. _

_"Oh yes, I knew their parents well. Did your Pa ever tell you about the famous Mistoffelees family?"_

_The kitten shook her head again, but this time her ears were perked as if with interest. _

"_Oh, they were a family of traveling circus performers, lassie. I used to ride with them all the time when they were touring with the Brightman Brothers' troupe. Had their own act and everything, all five of them, though their parents were really the main attractions. The kittens performed a bit more of the smaller tricks on the sides. _

_"Their mother, Natasha … oh, she was this most beautiful prima ballerina. She could perform the 32 _fouéttes en tournant_ more gracefully than any human dancer I've ever seen. But it was their father … the Magical Mister Mistoffelees the Sixth … who was the true celebrity of the family, lassie._

"_The Magical Mister Mistoffelees the Sixth came from a line of conjuring cats. He could perform tricks and illusions so spectacular that he made Harry Houdini himself look like a mere amateur. He could fire lightning bolts and fireworks right out of his paws. He could pull a whole litter of kittens right out of an empty hat. He could teleport from the front of the stage to the highest reach of the balcony in the blink of an eye. I'd never seen anything like it, lassie!"_

_The kitten's eyes listened on with eyes filled with wonder as her uncle went on to describe each of the Mistoffelees' tricks in vivid detail. Her heart pounded as she recalled the magic she had witnessed in the Junkyard just a few days before. _

_The magic of the tomkit who was truly the son of the Magical Mister Mistoffelees._

_But then suddenly her uncle stopped in his tale, his eyes clouding with sadness, and he let out a long and heavy sigh. The kitten placed a paw on top of his, worried by his change in demeanor. The tabby smiled at her and pulled her in closer._

"_But alas … that was a long time ago, lassie. Some years ago, the Brightman Brothers' troupe disbanded and the entire show closed down. After that, the family decided to make a home for themselves in the Tribe and try to raise their children as normal kittens._

"_Och, b__ut then …"_

_And then the tabby suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, his eyes going wide as if he realized that he'd said something he shouldn't have. The kitten frowned, watching as his face paled considerably. And then he shook his head._

"_N-nah, lassie. That is not something I should be telling you about …" _

_Confused, the kitten nudged against his arm. When the tabby turned to look at her, her eyes quietly demanded that he continue. He stared back at her forlornly for a long, long moment, and then he closed his eyes and let out another sigh._

"_Well … I suppose you would have heard about eventually, so I guess it's better that you heard about it from me. The family's story has a very sad ending, lassie. Quaxo and Victoria's parents … they died, lassie. They were … killed … in an unfortunate accident some years ago …"_

XXXXXXXXX

_TBC ..._


End file.
